In migratory birds, endogenous daily (circadian) and annual (circannual) rhythms serve as biological clocks that provide the major basis for their temporal orientation. Circannual rhythms are responsible for the initiation of migration both in autumn and spring. This function of timing migrations is particularly important for birds that spend the winter close to the equator where the environmen...

The functional role of corticosterone (CORT) in regulating migratory hyperphagia and lipogenesis was investigated in an annual migrant, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). Intraperitoneal injections of either dexamethasone (9 microg DXM/500 microL of 5% EtOH in saline, n=10) to inhibit an increase in baseline CORT or saline (5% EtOH, n=9) were given every 48 h for 15 d after transfer from sho...

Migratory divides, the boundary between adjacent bird populations that migrate in different directions, are of considerable interest to evolutionary biologists because of their alleged role in speciation of migratory birds. However, the small size of many passerines has traditionally limited the tools available to track populations and as a result, restricted our ability to study how reproducti...

Human land-use effects on species populations are minimized in protected areas and population changes can thus be more directly linked with changes in climate. In this study, bird population changes in 96 protected areas in Finland were compared using quantitative bird census data, between two time slices, 1981-1999 and 2000-2009, with the mean time span being 14 years. Bird species were catego...

Plasma corticosterone increases during spring migration in a variety of bird species, including the Gambel's white-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii. Corticosterone is elevated specifically in association with migratory flight, suggesting that corticosterone may promote processes such as energy mobilization and/or migratory activity. General effects of glucocorticoids support such...

Background: Global epizootic distribution of HPAI H5N8 (Clade 2.3.4.4) in poultry and wild birds was demonstrated after 2010. HPAI virus is a major concern not only in birds and poultry industry but also in global human health. Wild migratory birds and their linked to backyard birds are playing a critical role in spreading HPAI and the creation of genetic reassortment. Methods: In this study i...